Crossroads Collision, When Titans and Gods Clash!
Crossroads Collision, When Titans and Gods Clash! Challengers Arise! Black Storms Gathering! It was a eeire and gloomy evening in the World of the Living. In the large and distinguished countryside of Japan, some thirty or forty miles away from the city of Hiroshima, light grey clouds gathered in the skies above, shadowing the land and diminishing any sign of color or cheerful activity in the large foresty mountainside. The area was soaking wet and muddy, and thunder and lightning struck in the distance. It was clear that a storm had occured recently, but to some, it was far from an ordinary one. Whoosh!!!! Quickly moving between the branches of the various trees and creeks within the forest was what could only be described as a black shadow, moving at speeds that the human eye would consider impossible to see. It moved quickly through the various woodland structures before stopping in the middle of a fairly sized clearing of grass. It stood straight up, revealing a black kimino with a grey belt of sorts starting from an armor piece on his right shoulder and extending down to his lower left hip. On his back and attached to the belt was an average length katana with a sea blue handle and a hexagon shaped tsuba, it's blade concealed within a sheathe of similar blue shade as the handle. His hair was fairly neck length and solid white, flowing around the back of his head to the gentle breeze of the wind flow. Akira stood motionless in the clearing, his head tilted down and his eyes closed as if he was in a deep state of meditation. Back at Soul Society, he had heard reports of strange storms taking place within this section of the World of the Living, storms that felt more spiritual and created rather than being born of nature. He had suspected that something sinister was amist, and decided to do an investigation into the phenomenon that was "off the record." But as he had suspected for a while now, he wasn't alone, despite preferring to be. He let out a sigh, before looking up at the sky and opening his eyes to reveal a blue shaded, disspassionate gaze. "Come on out Shiroi. I know you're there." "Oh darn it!" A feminine voice came out of the trees just behind him, revealing a youthful appearing, beautiful young woman with a similar kimino to Akira's, only sleeveless and with long fingerless gloves, as well as a long red scarf around her neck. Her brown hair extended down to her upper back, and her hazel eyes looked over at Akira with slight seriousness. "I still don't see how you ''are capable of feeling my prescence when even my comrades can't." she said with a slightly annoyed tone. "Your comrades don't have the training that I do." Akira said back, resuming his previous face and looking back at the ground. "You can come on out too. If she came, I doubt she came alone." he said to a familiar presence that he suspected was in the forest just behind Shiroi. "Tch," SFT! "...I guess watching her breaks my cover too," a black, non-Shikhakusho garbed young man emerged from the shadows within a flicker of motion that was nigh-silent. His sandals clapped against the grass with even quieter grace, as his black hooded cloak flourished around him in the wake of the wind that billowed around the countryside, faint sounds of rumbling and distortion of spiritual pressure within the atmosphere caused Shindō's eyes to knit together in further concern, "and I'm guessing that's the appearance of this so-called, ''Spirit Storm everyone's been having, huh?" "Yep..." Akira began, putting his hands in his pockets and looking up at the sky. "Now that I'm closer to it, I know for sure this isn't another one of Kaze's mad experiments like Shiroi thought. This is a feeling that's....unfamiliar. I haven't felt anything like it before." "And that just gave you the notion to come out here by yourself?" Shiroi added, crossing her arms and cocking an eyebrow at Akira. "You could get in some serious trouble doing that y'know. But then again, you've done it before and somehow gotten away with it." Shindō sighed, looking towards Akira as he crossed his arms in knowing, "And I'm guessing you were discussing this supposedly classified piece of intel that even the D.C.O. made sure didn't get leaked to the majority of the Gotei 13?" "You know me." Akira said, still looking up at the clouds with a curious gaze. "I know an incident in the making when I feel one. I didn't need some special report to tell me something was amiss." "Riiiight," Shindō said with a smirk before shaking his head, turning back to the storm, "just a bit of spying on a top secret debriefing within a secured D.C.O. briefing room that was only reserved for D.C.O. and invited personnel." Shindō narrowed his eyes, percieving there was far more to this storm than meets simple visual and sensory perception. With a brief blink of his eyes, a pair of three-pronged comma red eyes stared into the mass of Spiritually atmospherically distorted stormhead. Within it, he saw immense electrical energy being channeled within the storm, within a single minute spot that strangely looked like a... "Oh hell!" Shindō swore as he opened his mouth, drying as he suddenly percieved what the source of these Spirit Storms were, as he backed up slowly from the spot, irrelevent due to the nature of the threat, "we have to get out of here!" Akira's eyes widened and he instinctivley lept back from his spot, using the back of his right arm to take Shiroi with him as well to avoid what he perceived as an oncoming attack. ... "Whatcha looking at?" A voice suddenly penetrated the air, moving so fast that not even Shindō's Tamenkyōme could trace its movements or its direction. "What the hell?!" Shindō retorted lowly, turning around as he looked all over, then suddenly whirled around...to see a muscular, spikey haired man with a pair of round-lensed shades and a confident smile enamoring him. His body didn't appear to be anything other than humanoid, but the level of power seemed to be enormous, the Spiritual Pressure he witheld would've indeed made standing near him a task for even Shindō and Akira's caliber. "You like the view or something, cause you guys are just gawking at my little surplus makes me a little defensive," The newcomer said in a jocular, yet underlying menace as he stuck his hands in his pockets, not even the least threatened by the three of them. Or at least, not acting like it yet. Shiroi could feel herself shake in the wake of the power that this new being wielded, her own spine turning cold as just standing in this particular spot was becoming a chore for her. What was he? Akira however, retained a much more calm exterior in slight contrast to his comrade's. Standing straight up and looking at the newcomer with a stoic gaze, also unintimidated by the man's power, despite feeling it's crushing gravity. "Am I to assume that you are responsible for these odd weather patterns?" he asked, retaining a cool expression with half lidded eyes, his figure or his tone was serious and strict, but held no threatening traits. "Odd weather?" The newcomer continued to smile, asking in a coy fashion as he cocked his head and nodded towards the large thunderhead above them, "I don't see anything odd about a little storm..." "Don't play coy with me!" Shindō hissed in a cold, vengeful gaze as his unique eyes blazed hotly upon him, "you were the focus point for most of the countryside's Spiritual Energy as well as the atmospheric disturbances that's created massive storms across the World of the Living. Who are you...Arrancar?" "Hehehehehe!" The newcomer chuckled in a evil, yet amused tone as he lifted his hands from his pockets, sashaying his body in a offhandish way, "close, but not quite, Soul Reaper...Shindō Takuji," he smiled in a further bit of glee as he earned a dialated stare of disbelief from the Soul Reaper, "my name is Tome Kūgun, and I am simply a tourist of this amazing country, and I speak very little Japanese, so please don't rush your tongues like they do in the movies." Akira's gaze didn't change, his white hair flowing with the wind still as he looked at this...Tome Kugen with suspicion. "I'll take that as a yes." Tchick, scrrrrrrch! "I'm going to give you, one chance, whatever you are," Shindō said to Tome, the latter now bearing a bored expression on his face as if he heard this kind of thing before, the former unsheathing his Zanpakuto from its sheathe in a slow, threatening manner, "to leave now and cease your activities-!" "Or what?" Tome asked in a bored, now mixed with humored grin as he took steps towards the Soul Reapers, moreso to Shindō than anything, as his hands were held out wide with his body exposed and vulnerable, "you gonna stick me with that fancy looking stick of yours?! Go on! Try it! I bet you'll be in for a shock of your life!" Shindō's eyes widened slightly before narrowing, then moving towards the being with assumedly unparalleled speed at and leaped up into the air, slashing his blade towards his shoulder, aiming to cut through his jacket into his torso... SLASH-SCRRREK! ...only to be met by one of the hardest known forces he had ever encountered, causing his eyes to truly dialate in shock as his own blade was blocked by his own body. Without even moving. He even noticed a small cut that sliced his own sword-wielding palm from the impact, dripping morbidly to the ground in little ominous drops. "Oh dear," Tome looked at him with a now concerned tone as he momentarily looked at the blade that was embedded between his jacket and ontop of his resilient skin, grasping it fluidly without hesitation, "it seems that you've cut my jacket." CRACK-WHOOMPF! "I REALLY LIKED THAT JACKET!" Tome yelled out, as he spun his right foot out and caught Shindō by the gut, causing the latter's eyes to roll, saliva to puke out, and his body to careen for a good distance away and slamming into a hillside with a incredible crash, in the wake of a air rupturing shockwave that would knock the other two Soul Reapers' bodies to the ground had they not steadied themselves. "Wah!" Shiroi yelled out as she held her arms out in an x shaped position, the force of the impact flinging her into a tree before she slowly fell onto the ground, wearily picking herself up from the unexpected display of force. "A...Akira. We have to get Shindo and leave! He's too strong for us!" Akira found himself skidding his feet along the ground, doing what he could to keep himself steady, though doing even that felt like a chore to him. When he finally stopped nearly five feet in front of Shiroi, Akira grasped his blue handled blade and slowly pulled it out of it's sheathe, his eyes locking onto Tome's with dead seriousness, his voice carrying a similar effect. "Shiroi. Go check on Shindo. Make sure his recklessness hasn't gotten him too banged up." Shiroi simply sighed, knowing that arguing with the stubborn white haired boy would be pointless. He's never listened to her advice anyway, why would he do it now when he has the chance to fight a strong opponent? Whoosh! With a Flash-Step, she appeared next to Shindo, crouching down and holding out her hands should he need help to get up. "Are you alright, Shindo-san?" Akira's blade was next to his side, still retaining his pose as he looked on at Tome. "My apologies. Shindo has a habit of jumping to immediate conclusions and shooting before he asks any questions." he said in his normal accented voice. Shindō coughed as he began pulling himself out of the hole, not taking the hands offered by the girl as his cloak ruffled and flourished aroud him as he took berated steps out, "I-I'm fine, dammit!" Tome's eyes glared at Akira as his glasses slid down the bridge of his nose a inch, showing his violet slitted pupils at him, glowing crimson with anger, before he simply raised a hand towards Akira. In the form of a finger gun, he then imitated a "bang" of the forefinger retracting, as he said, "Apologize for this, asshole!" VR-BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAM! What was fired almost simultaneously from his finger tip was the large gait of a incredible high-pressurized, high temperature, searing Cero, in the form of a dark red with black outlines as it roared out in the sense of almost a wrathful beast was out to destroy Akira. Ripping across the landscape for a good distance, it seared off the tops of hills before crashing into a dip in the valley... KRRRRRACK-BOOOM! ...creating a incredibly tall pillar of crimson flames, rippling the countryside with its aftermath of pressurized ripped air buffets and heat that set a great deal of grass on flames from its intensity. Shiroi quickly held out both hands, letting them bristle with electricity before she called out. "Danku!" Thus creating a large clear wall of kido magic to protect herself and Shindo from the onslaught of the attack's aftermath. Akira's eyes widened suddenley at the great display of unmistakable Hollow like blast of energy. This man...this thing...was part Hollow, but it was no pure Hollow itself, nor did it bear the appearance or aura of an Arrancar. This being was something else entirely. Within a split second reaction, Akira leaped over the massive Cero, letting it utterly devestate the beautiful forest just behind him and create it's massive column of red fire, the crimson energy reflecting in Akira's eyes as he grasped his blade with both hands, letting it glow with a blue and cyan aura, before flipping forward and then slicing his blade towards Tome. SSCHHOOOOOOSH!!!!!!! "Getsuga...Tenshō!" he yelled out as a rather large wave of blue energy shot out from the instant of the slash, flying towards Tome's form just before it.... BOOM!!!!!! Slammed into Tome's general area and then released it's own column of blue and cyan energy, not setting anything around the area ablaze like the Cero, but still making a rather large field of destruction. WOOSH! Tome deftly leaped to the side with amazing speed, not employing any useage of high-speed technique as he avoided the blast of Getsuga Tenshō. As his eyes watched the whole thing unwravel, unknown analytical deductions and post-quantum algorithims allowed him to sift through his mind and memory, deducing the technique and origin of its attack. If not allowing him to find out the true form of this technique, he'd come up with his own natural conclusions with his incredibly heightened perception. "That technique...," Tome said allowed, before his body propelled itself from the ground like a bullet towards Akira, moving at a speed thought almost nigh impossible by any ordinary being, "are you of the Kurosaki bloodline, runt?!" SWISH! Tome launched a spear-handed strike, using the incredible density of his naturally resilient skin while heightening it with physical force, it became as sharp as any other blade would be, as he aimed it towards his shoulder or at least to clash with Akira's Zanpakuto high cutting power. Akira looked on at him dispassionatley, before looking as if he was going to prepare another Getsuga Tensho, what with his blade beginning to radiate it's signature blue and cyan energy, spiritual energy particles flaring from it like an electric conduit before he brought it down upon Tome's hand. SSSSTRRRICLAANG!!!!! The two attacks clashed with a great deal of Spiritual Power, creating a massive gust of wind that ruffled the trees below and even forced Shiroi to choke for breath. As their "weapons" locked in place, Akira stared into Tome's eyes. "Perhaps I am of the Kurosaki line. I like to think that I am. But we didn't come here to discuss family trees now did we?" He placed his other hand on the back of his weapon's upper blade, before speaking. Tome's eyes dialated the moment he spoke, knowing the name and the entiriety of the technique through and through...and what it would do when fired without a swinging motion at point-blank range. "Getsuga....Tenshō..." BOOM!!!!!!! He then released another powerful blast of blue energy from the weapon up close upon Tome, intending to do as much damage to the foe as he could while in his current Zanpakutō state. Within the steaming hazy aftermath, it looked like the point of which his hand had been touching his Zanpakutō remained true upon it. But within the haze of super-heated air, showed a relatively unharmed Tome, with his eyes narrowed and a sly smile enamored on his face, in a almost mocking fashion. "I think its entirely relevent, Akira Takuji," he said with a snide tone, as his hand now twisted around and grasped the flat edge of both sides of his enemy's weapon as he forcefully pulled it to the side, "considering that certainly didn't feel like a real Moon Fang, Heaven Piercer. So," he raised his opposing hand, crackling in dark crimson energy as it prepared for its attack, "how would you feel if showed you...what a force of nature can do that surpasses that outdated technique?!" WHIZ! Shindō's form appeared swiftly behind Tome a few meters higher, swinging down a now crackling, lightning infused blade towards his exposed back, "Scream, Kirin!" SPRRRAAAAAACK-CLANG! Another form shielded him within a moment's notice, unsheathing his sword only slightly as it blocked the weapon's power and radiated past his body and not anywhere near Tome. "I apologize for interrupting without introduction like this," the silver haired young man spoke as he held his crimson sheathe and medieval styled weapon partially out of its sheathe while it effortlessly blocked the heightened radiated cutting power of the Soul Reaper's, "but my brother seems to be in the middle of something, so I suggest not pissing him off further by attacking him from behind like a coward!" Akira's eyes widened in shock at seeing how his attack had done hardly any visible damage to his foe. His Zanpakutō, Shagetsu, was in a constant state of Shikai release, which meant that any attack that he had done with the weapon would be at great power. But then his face went to a cool and calm one as he let the attack come for him, already not having enough time to evade the powerful blast. This would seem like a suicide move to most, but it was far from it in actuality. Tome briefly smirked at seeing his compatriot butt in, before unleashing a his left palm with a blinding release of concussive force within a single strike. A Bala-enfused punch. BRACK-POW! "HA!" Shindō's eyes narrowed, his Tamenkyōme's comma eyes spun slightly seeing another bout of deep, resonating spiritual power within this man as well. With a sudden even greater burst of electric energy, Shindō yelled out as a mighty surge of electric power was released against him, shouting aloud, "Out of my way!!!" SCRRRRCRACK-BOOM! This caused the other man to be forcefully sent back a dozen meters, with no real concern etched on his face despite his seeming predicament, as he grasped his sword again, speaking aloud, "That's pretty good...nothing I haven't seen before, but its still good." "SHUT UP!" Shindō shouted as he moved towards him with renewed speed, gathering heightened amounts of electric energy within the air around his Zanpakutō, aiming to strike him with another surge of electric power. "You don't understand," the man spoke, before unsheathing his sword in a swift motion.... CRRRRAAAAACK-SPHRT! ...releasing a yellow-tinged fissure of Spiritual Power from his blade, in a much wider arc and gait than even Akira's Getsuga Tenshō, nearly totally encompassing Shindō in its wake and mass of incredible power. "I gave you a compliment...because I don't think many Soul Reapers are capable of my interest...until I met you, Shindō Takuji." SLAM!!!! The man's fist slammed into Akira's chest with enough force to send a mighty gust of wind out from behind him, and he even grunted from the sheer force behind the impact. But his form had a strange blue outline to it now, his eyes glowing with the same shade of blue and a slight smirk on his face as he appeared relativley unharmed. He then let his blade glow with the same energy as before and then placing his palm on Tome's chest. "Kyosei Yashi." ZZRWHOOSH!!!!!! A mighty gale of blue spiritual energy suddenely burst from Akira's palm, having enough force to send even the most durable of opponents flying from his vicinity. Hopefully, it would be enough to where he could possibly go help Shindo. As far as Akira was concerned, he certainly looked like he needed it. Even within the massive fissure of power, a bright blazing blue light emerged with a screaming intensity, as lightning seemed to shroud his very essence and created a electromagnetic shield that forestalled the harmful Spiritual Energy. Shindō's being radiated a powerful Spiritual Pressure, and his body soared down towards the nameless foe, swinging back and forth with his Zanpakuto only to be met with a skilled counters that was only knocked back slightly in the air from the ferocious set of attacks. Tome's eyes crossed inwards, as he felt the wave of spiritual energy, like a tornado of sheer concussive force, send him sprawling across the air. However, even as he did this, he smiled as he simply exerted a blast of crimson spiritual power from his backside, causing a rift of pressure within the air that halted him indefinitely, as well as propel him back towards Akira with amazing tenacity. "Trying to get me away so you can help your pal?! I wouldn't suggest it!" Tome moved at lightning speeds, swinging his fists with incredible speeds as well as his feet, intending on battering him relentlessly with a number of "steel"-like hits as well as possibly slice him up with his finger nails or the edges of his hands themselves, like makeshift blades. Akira's gaze remained serious as he set into trying to parry and deflect the onslaught of following attacks, but this foe was still a mystery to him. He was missing several of the fists and strikes, causing them to hit his torso and other areas with force that actually caused some bits of pain in him, despite his energy coated shield. BOOM!!!! One particular punch slammed into his chest, causing a wad of spit to fly out from his mouth as he spiraled towards the ground, slamming into a group of trees with a large column of dirt and debris. "Akira!" Shiroi yelled out, whipping out her smaller, red handled Zanpakuto and Flash Stepping near his vicinity, standing over the rather large crater and looking at Akira's bruised form with concern. "Are you alright Akira?!" The boy picked himself up, a few bruises on his face and other parts of his form as he looked back up at Tome. "Damn....I wasn't expecting it to be that strong..." Shiroi then sighed, looking at him now with dissapointment and slight annoyance. "Why can't you and Shindo just stay out of trouble?" WHIZ! "Don't be too hard on the guy," Tome said as he appeared just behind Shiroi, looking down at Akira partially as his shade-hidden eyes looked at his nails, in a mocking way to see if he broke a nail or got dirt within its cracks. He added insult to injury by smiling knowingly, "after all...despite how incredible his control over his Zanpakutō's shielding ability is to aggressive force, nothing is unbreakable." Meanwhile...Shindō's battle with Hiroi had been all but a strongarm game. With whoever would land the first blow to take the fight out of him. Currently, Hiroi seemed to be matching move for move without effort against the seasoned Takuji Elite with ease, while Shindō could barely keep up with his insane speed with using the Tamenkyōme. "Give up, Shindō," Hiroi said as backpedaled away from his enemy, skating the air with mere spirit energy planes he created upon instinct, holding his scarlet sheathe in one hand while holding his sword in the other, "you must realize that even someone with your skill, all you'll be doing is wearing yourself out..." "Don't patronize me!" Shindō shouted violently, raising his Zanpakutō into the air, summoning some of the raging course currents of negatives of electricity within the storm head above. With a high pitched electric whine coming from his Zanpakutō, he suddenly swung it down within a instant, "Sandā Gakudan!" CRRK-KRACK, BOO-BOO-BOO-BOO-BOO-BOOM! Within a series of sizzling, high-pitched electric sounds, fifty lightning bolts surged from the heavens towards Hiroi, the vast crackling light display may cause any onlookers to pause with uncertainty or fear from the raw power the lightning orchestra would have upon its targets. Hiroi, however, looked unphased within the oncoming assault of lightning strikes, and began zig-zagging with wild abandon, moving to and fro throughout the air, actually dodging the attacks with extreme skill and high perception. With slight flickers of blinding movement and employment of spiritual energy, Shindō could see for certain...that he was using'' Flash Step'' to augment his already considerable speed. "It should be impossible to dodge all this lightning," Shindō said with a narrowed, hesitant gaze as he prepared himself for another high powered bout with this incredibly skilled entity, "but he's doing it...as if he's practiced dodging lightning before, and mastered it. That sounds ridiculous!" Shiroi's eyes widened as she felt the being's presence just behind her, but she didn't show any fear. Instead, she whirled around and held out both hands. "Horin!" Her hands began to crackle with orange energy before shooting out two long and electricity covered orange ropes of sorts that immediatley wrapped around Tome, intending to lock him in place. Akira then whirled himself around and, with his sword now glowing once more as a result of keeping his Getsuga Tensho's energy within it's blade, swung at the man's head, aiming to either lop it off in one swing, or do as much explosive damage as possible while up close. "Tch!" Tome clicked his tongue as he kept his eyes on both of them while appearing offhanded earlier. Seeing them move was almost too easy to predict. The binding orange tendrils he grasped into one hand and held them tight, despite a few of them wrapping around up his arm and around his shoulder. Meanwhile, he backhanded the Getsuga Tenshō infused Zanpakutō with his hand, causing a burst of force to rush from the other side and around Tome when preforming the maneuver, showing true the factual power behind the latter technique. As it streamed blue energy around him, lighting up his shades in a dramatic view, he smiled with a amused grin, "if you really need someone as low-skilled as this gal to face me..." YANK! "...then you should just give up while you can!" With a wrenching, strongarmed yank with his arm, he swung the still attached ropes bound to the caster's hands up in to the air before pulling it down for her to crash behind them a few dozen feet away. Meanwhile, he swung his right foot up and shin-kicked at Akira's ribs, intending on utilizing a perfectly executed amount of tacticle force to send the other Soul Reaper hurtling away. "You're probably wondering..." Hiroi spoke as he stood again at the same altitude as Shindō, with no visible damage to his person as he looked onwards to the Lightning-nature Zanpakutō wielder, "...why I can dodge lightning with such ease and perception?" "I was about to ask that," Shindō's black-crimson eyes narrowed at him, smirking a little that this entity was bothering to reveal his methods to a tactician such as himself, "but I didn't know you had that much respect for me, so I decided to stick to fighting rather than useless banter." "My brother, Tome," Hiroi spoke as he held his sheathe and sword in opposite ends in a crouched, sword fighter stance, "he's the one who taught me how to do it. Its quite unfortunate that we had to be opponents," he dashed onwards, swinging his blades with incredible speed and force, pushing back Shindō with sheer tenacity, "I think you would've stood a better chance against Tome, in my honest opinion." Shiroi was obviously sent flying into the ground by his move, but Akira had it worse. BOOM!! "UGH!" he grunted out, as the kick felt as if it shattered his rib cage and then sending him flying through an entire line of trees, smashing into the side of a large mound with a massive crash of dirt and debris. Picking himself up wearily, Akira was breathing heavily, saliva mixed with hints of blood dripped from his mouth, holding onto his rib area with his left hand and his entire body bruised and scarred. That attack had nearly crippled him. He knew now that he couldn't afford to hold back at this point. He grasped his sword with both hands, letting it bristle with more energy as he held it high above his head. The area around him began to shake and tremble, the spiritual energy from the weapon clearly being far more powerful than other previous attacks that it shot our earlier. "Getsuga....." he began, his arms beginning to tremble from all the power that he was putting into it, energy particles raining around and striking the earthe around his vicinity. Gritting his teeth and letting his eyes get wider with sheer determination, he swung the weapon down. "...TENSHŌ!!!!!!!!!!" SHIRRRRRBOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A truly massive gale of deep blue energy was let forth from the blade's motion, shaking all of the area around him as if an earthquake had struck the land as the mighty torrent of energy came towards his opponent, and created an almost deafening explosion of sheer blue energy that reached up to the skies and could be seen for miles on end. Tome's eyes widened with pleasant surprise as he saw the man build up Spiritual Power enough to release such a devestating attack. As the attack rushed towards his position, his shades actually began to crack in the wake of the high-pitched roar that barreleed towards him. "AHAHAHAHAHAHA, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Tome laughed aloud with a exhilerated rush as he saw a actual attack coming from his opponent for the first time. Raising not one, but both of his fingers in their iconic finger pistols, he raised both of them at the same time, and shouted out, "THAT'S more like it! BOOM!" VRR-BOOM-BOOM! KRRRBLAAAAM! As the initial explosion had been blue to Akira's eyesight, two massive and collected dark crimson pillars of spiritual energy wrapped around and dissipated the bulk of the technique, igniting it 15 meters short of the destination it ached to reach, causing a brown-tinted veil of flames to crawl up into the sky. Tome then took time to walk dramatically through the pillar of flames, exuding his own Spiritual Pressure this time, as that shook and parted the flames before him, oozing a silver bodied-dark red outlined aura around his body as he walked casually and threateningly towards Akira. Within only ten foot steps, he had completely dissipated the flames caused by their collided powers, and his body drew closer and closer, his Spiritual Pressure becoming more and more dense and overwhelming as he didn't hold back. The atmosphere above responded violently, crackling lightning and thundering chaotically, causing flashes to illuminate and cast shadows over the figures below, even as Shindō's own collosal battle waged high above in the sky. "Do you understand now, Soul Reaper?" Tome asked with a serious, thick tone as he smiled at him, his shades intact yet cracked from the earlier collided forces, "I was holding back cause I was trying to measure the depth of your capabilities. And...if you keep up doing what you just did, I might even enlighten you and show you half of my true powers." Needless to say, Akira was dumbfounded as to how his most powerful attack had been so easily parried. His face was kept steady and cool, though one could see a twitch of tiredness in his eyes. He then held his sword pointed towards Tome's approaching form, his body bristling with energy before his eyes began to glow, his hair slowly beginning to stand up as he uttered one word from his mouth. "Ban...kai." WHHOOOOOM!!!!!!! A giant column of blue spiritual energy shot into the sky, growing in size and causing yet another shaking sensation along the earth's surface. With a wave of his hand, Akira disspelled the column, revealing his new form. He now wore a tattered black robe of sorts with flaring, ragged and torn ends, a black hood on his head with his white hair emergy from it's sides. Black pants extended down his legs on down to a pair of solid white boots, his right arm sleeve apparently torn off. On his exposed arm was a black ribbon of sorts that wrapped around his arm twice before extending around in behind his back, floating around gently with the breeze. The ribbon was attached to the back of a white gauntlet on his right hand, and on the other end of the gauntlet was a black hexagonal shaped tsuba with several black spikes on it's top and side parts. Out of the middle of this tsuba was a glistening and razor sharp silver sword, slightly longer than it's sealed form with an appearance much more similar to that of a Daito. "Kodai Shagetsu" (lit: "Ancient Shielding Moon") "A Clad-type Bankai, eh?" Tome asked in feigned interest, arching a brow as he briefly crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his left foot in emphasis, "and that's nice Spiritual Pressure you got there, reflects a good amount of Spiritual Power you got left in your body. Though, it's still going to be hard to fight me with the wounds I gave you beforehand. But enough about the obvious..." Tsk, shhhhhhhhink... "...I might as well give you some credit to your best skills and draw my sword," Tome said with a anticipatory grin as he fully withdrew his wakizashi from his waist, its square designed pommel and simple designed hilt resembled that of a Soul Reaper's Zanpakuto, but yet..., "its been ages since I've had to use my Zanpakutō against an opponent, but I guess getting the shine off this blade is good excercise, nonetheless." SWISH-SWISH! Tome swung it a few times with little exertion, testing out its weight and speed before employing his tactics and mindset around this particular weapon. He dug the sole of his boot into the earth as he stretched into a ninja-like sword stance, beckoning Akira with his free hand, "C'mere and try to land a single blow on me, Akira-boy!" Akira's form, despite Tome's previous assumption, showed no signs of damage. Akira's face was still slightly bruised, but his body was otherwise still intact. His face was just as serious as before, his eyes half lidded as he spoke in a dead solemn voice. "No. Why don't you quit playing predator and actually come for your prey instead of letting it come to you for a change?" "Heh, if you insist," Tome said with a low tone, his eyes suddenly narrowing into slits behind his shades, before his body stopped pulsating Spiritual Pressure altogether. In fact, he almost stopped all external senses that someone could pick up on... WHIZ, BOOM! Within a instant he disappeared within a flickering motion, propelling his feet off the ground that left a large shockwave from the sheer force and speed from his own inertia movement. SNATCH! And within that instant, Tome managed to grasp Akira's face and fling him across the fields with incredible force, while shouting, "Made you look!" However, it wasn't Akira's face that Tome grabbed. sssssssss.... It was an afterimage, one that faded as soon as Tome's hand went though its face. Akira was now standing on the limb of a tree that was just behind Tome. "Try again." "Huh?" Tome had grasped the air too much, causing a snapping motion that cracked the air, sending it billowing around him. He then coyly looked around with his head, raising his hand to make it as if he was trying to really find him, "where did that bugger go off to? How much faster did he just get? Oh wait..." BZZT! "...I can move faster than that," Tome said in the wake of what sounded almost unmistakenly as a Sonido. The speed was incredibly heightened, almost so much that even in Akira's Bankai enhanced state of mind, he would find it nearly incomprehensible to follow his movements. "Silly me, huh?!" SLAP! With a backhanded movemet that happened just as fast, he aimed to smack him off the lone tree within the field of grass, aiming to send him hurtling across the other small cluster of foilage and into the hillside. BOOM!!!! The hand slammed into Akira's back with great force, causing a great billow of air and wind to surge onto the ground in front of him. Akira himself went flying towards the ground as well, flipping around violently, before- CCHRRR!!! BOOOM!!!!! He landed on the ground with pinpoint accuracy, skidding on the ground briefly before springing back up towards Tome, his expression not changing in the slightest as his speed reached levels that even the most experienced and hardened of foes would have difficulty keeping up with, before delivering a powerful and accurate left sided swipe across Tome's chest with his new and amazingly sharp, durable sword. CRK-TIIIIING! "You're quite a hot tempered one," Tome said with a smile, as his wakizashi Zanpakuto blocked the new Bankai sword with ease, albeit held only a few inches away from his chest, "but you forget I got one of these pieces of fancy metal as well..." CRRREAAK! "Do you honestly believe you Soul Reapers were the only ''beings capable of challenging entities that ravage the world out of sheer hunger?" CRRREAAK! "Did you think that just because you have a ''Bankai, means that you're special?!" CRRREAAK! "Well, guess what, Soul Reaper?!" Tome finally had a now malicious, snarling visage, as with each push he managed to push Akira away with him with only one hand, scraping his body across the air as he used his own innate physical force to overpower the Bankai garbed Soul Reaper. Then, briefly behind his shades as they cracked further, was a dark crimson light that lit up so swiftly, it was within a blink of an eye. "YOU'RE ALL FOOLS!" VR-BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!! Within that instaneous heartbeat of space and time, two orb sized Ceros suddenly blasted out from his shades and engulfed the whole space with incredible speed and power, all done within a effortless exertion upon the now berift of shades entity. The Cero's completley over encompased Akira's form, ravaging the land behind him and causing all worlds of damage. Akira was undoubtably vaporized by the powerful attack.... ...or so it would appear. "Getsuga...." A surge of black and blue electricity began radiating from the spot that Akira was in when the Cero "hit" him, before a massive fang of similar color comepletley destroyed the onslaught of Hollow energy and flew down Tome's chest with unbelievable force and explosive output, Akira's form revealed to be unscathed and glowing with a blue aura. "...Tensho." "Oh c'mon-!" GRAPOW! The force of the Getsuga Tensho struck him full force, not even bothering to block the force of the attack, as his body flung from the tree he stood on and into the hillside. Within moments a dark blue-black explosion of energy exploded the hill, followed by a mushroom cloud of blue-orange and yellow flames, that discharged a powerful series of winds that blew everything within a 30 meter radius away, before rending the earth beneath it asunder with powerful force. As the flames crackled, and time seemed to pass by, it seemed all was still and calm. Then...a pulsation like none other emanated...cracking and shaking the air, even going as far as splitting the earth within the blast radius, as burgundy tendrils snaked around the air, emanating from a jacketless man, with eyes burning with a stoic, cool and refined bloodlust, and Spiritual Pressure that would make even the most seasoned of Captains twitch with uncertainty. The Getsuga Tensho tore through his dark red sleeveless shirt, and incinerated his jacket...but his skin barely had a mar upon it, despite it should've having an affect on him, all logical presumptions ended there. "Hey kid," he said with a cool, yet almost tauntiung voice even as he bore no smile on his face at the moment. He raised a hand in a beckoning gesture, "throw that at me again, this time with full power...and maybe you'll actually kill me, or I'll kill you...if that's honestly....all you got!" WHOOSH! Akira disappeared and then reappeared just in front of Tome just as the word "got" left his mouth. Within a second, Akira placed his palm firmly upon Tome's chest, staring into his bloodlust filled eyes with slight amusement, but with no smile. "Kyosei Yashi." BOOM!!!!! Akira then released another massive concussive force of energy up close upon Tome's form, intending to send him careening through or deeper into the hillside that they were on. SNATCH! Within the moment the concussive force washed over Tome's body, Tome snatched Akira's wrist, putting incredible force within his vice grip enough to yank him with his body as it skid across the earth a few more meters, but managed to only move a little distance. Despite the earlier show of what the Getsuga Tensho did, he didn't budge hardly at all like before...as if he couldn't be moved! SLICE, SPRRAAAAAAAACK! With a single slicing movement towards Akira's chest, he released a fissure of energy even greater than his other partner had shown before, and without care, the arc engulfed a near 180 degree radius and was almost impossible to avoid. He would show him true pain, if it meant getting his true powers out. Tome wanted a challenge...and he wouldn't be played by mere Bankai tricks. Akira's teeth grit as the arc of energy slammed into his shield covered body, sending him flying past his original position only seconds earlier. When he finally stopped, he looked on a Tome with a disspassionate expression. "I doubt very seriously that I will show you my true powers. By the time that I would have, I would more than likely be dead. Someone like you, to me at least, isn't worthy of seeing true power, especially if it's something that they want." "Are you fucking with me?!" Tome snarled out, before smiling widely as he bore his bloodlustful eyes upon Akira's form, raising his hands in trembling emphasis of his battle-hardened passion, "this life, this world...its all a complete f'reaking joke! The only reason powerful beings exist is to exert '''their '''power '''and test their '''mettle. Its the call...the rage ''that '''burns '''within every warrior, and that hidden desire of '''seeing '''your opponent's blood spill across the ground and see their life slip away from their ''meatsack ''of a '''body'! If nothing else, why hold back under some arrogant pretext of honor ''or ''nobility?! If you ask me, you're acting like a complete freaking fool 'by '''adhering '''to such antiquated'' '''principles '''and '''guidelines! This isn't a simple matter of beating another brute or thug with mediocre ''skills. Oh no...this...''is a fight to the death!!!" BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!! Within that last word and emphasis, a bright light below the clouds emanated with incredible force and power, creating what looked like a miniature sun with such bright light and intensity, sending waves of heat and winds buffeting down into the earth below. Within the flowing tendrils of mass of solar energy spiraled a fire covered being...the being none other than Akira's brother, twitching and near motionless as his body smashed into the ground without fault, a mighty fissure of earth and flames sprang up in the wake of gravity's pulling collision. "And I'm going to kill you," Tome raised his hands swiftly into a boxing stance, with burgundy sparks flicking off the edges of his fist as he readied his attack, "and take great pleasure in it!" "Tormenta de bala!...." BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP-BAP! Within a series of blinding fist strikes sent by Tome in Akira's general direction... BRACK-BRACK-BRACK-BRACK-BRACK! ...a tidal wave of bowling ball sized burgundy Balas were sent soaring over the horizon towards his opponent, leaving large exhausts of concussive power, exploding dramatically with each of them landing and screeching across the air, causing an effect of a large waft of earth being uplifted and ripped apart by the energized, condensed projectiles. Akira's eyes widened in horrified surprise, not at Tome's attack, but at his brother's form slamming into the earth just behind him. "Shindo!" he yelled out as he promptly used his Flash Step to close the distance between him and Shindo's lifeless form. Holding his sword high in the air with both hands, his back facing Shindo, the area around the blade began to be consumed in a black and neon blue energy, before he swirled the blade around him, creating a massive sphere of similar colored energy that barely withstood the onslaught of Bala attacks, it's form distorting for each attack that hit the barrier. "Getsuga Tengoku!" While in side the barrier, Akira removed his white glove, and stabbed his blade into the ground, maintaining the field of energy while he quickly went to his brother's side, using his left hand to pick up the latter's head. "Shindo?!" he yelled out, briefly putting his ear to his brother's mouth before pulling back and looking into Shindo's face once more, shock and worry filling his eyes. "Shindo, answer me dammit!!" The situation was looking dangerous. The area inside the barrier shook around violently for every Bala impact, the booming noises distorting his hearing. He didn't have many other options besides leaving the barrier with Shindo, but he was desperate to see his brother's condition. Shindō grunted and growled, as he struggled to push himself off the ground despite the pain and exhausted energy he had, "You...idiot," he muttered as he looked up with a angry glare at his brother, snarling, "don't take...your eyes...of your enemy...for my sake!" Within mere moments of the Balas break within their firepower, Tome revved his feet against the ground... BZZT! ...and reappeared behind Akira as he was bent down and shielding both himself and his incapacitated brother. With a rearing fist, and a smile, Tome smashed his knuckles towards the barrier covered bodies with incredible power, shouting with glee as he did so. With a quick motion, Akira called his blade back to his hand, letting the gauntlet slip onto his right hand and it's ribbon wrapping around his arm as he did so. The blade then slowly slid out of the gauntlet, hanging by it's ribbon while Akira held the latter piece in the other hand, swinging it around in a rapid spinning circle like a flail. The blade began to glow with a blue light, and Akira's form began to bristle with energy. The attack he was about to use could kill both himself and Shindo if it wasn't used properly. Tome's fist slammed into the barrier with enough force to crack it, slowly giving way to reveal Akira and Shindo. However, Akira had flung the weapon straight at Tome's direction. As soon as the barrier would give even a glimpse of the two Takuji Elites, the blade went straight through the hole, and went straight for Tome's chest. "Hakai Getsuga." BOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A monstrous blue explosion erupted from the impact, the barrier shattering completley and forcing Akira's cloak to flair around violently, the area around the two of them shaking violently from the destructive attack. It almost seemed that Tome was done for, as the blade that was sent throwing towards him couldn't possibly be avoided upon a minute detail of monstrous Spiritual Power packed into a condensed form...and then released within a mere instant, could it? "You're as reckless as ever, I see," Shindō said with a grunt, now standing fully to his feet, albeit with a little cumbersomeness in doing so, holding his Zanpakuto to his side and ready while looking onwards with Onyx eyes instead of his occular Kido, to conserve his Spiritual Energy reserves, "but...did it work?-" "My my," Tome said with his hands now shoved into his pockets looking totally as if he hadn't even been hit by the attack at all. With a sneer, Tome asked coyly, "what happened there, I wonder? Have you been getting slower, Akira-chan? Or...could it be I have perfectly analyzed your Spiritual Pressure, muscular instincts, and even your strategies to a point where you can't touch me?" "No way!" Shindō muttered lowly as he raised his Zanpakuto up, clasping it with both hands as he tried to ready himself for an attack by their enemy again. Akira sneered slightly, secretley taken aback by the fact that Tome emerged unscathed from his most powerful melee attack within his arsenal. He kept himself within a battle stance, still keeping enough energy to last him for quite a good while. "Shindo," he began, his eyes not leaving Tome for a second, his expression and voice as serious as they'd been so far this day. "Go back to Soul Society. Warn someone, Ryouken, Kukkyona, hell even the Commander needs to know about this. I'll hold them off as long as I can, but this is your only opprotunity." "Like hell!" Shindō growled, taking a step forward to put himself in between Akira and the monster of an opponent, "I'm not going to turn my back...against both my Pride 'as the Elite of the Noble Takuji Clan...and leave my own family to die a pointless death!" "What makes you think we'll just let you leave or even have that opportunity?" Hiroi spoke, shimmering into view after he had begun a slow, casual descent from the high atmosphere. "Dammit!" Shindō growled, seeing their predicament is even more dire than he would've liked. While he had yet to release his Bankai, the feeling within the atmosphere and the way this other man seemed to move with ease from his lightning-based strategems...makes him think using a Bankai would be more wasteful than beneficial at this point. "Face it kidos," Tome said with a feral smile, crossing his arms over his chest, "we're entities that truly ascend into the realm of godhood that not even the strongest of Soul Reapers can claim. I've been holding back this whole time so I can gauge your potential and strength. But after all this nonsensical arrogance and defiance, I'm starting to believe that there's no more enjoyment to be found here." At this point, the lightning began crackle and reverberate within the atmosphere to a incredibly violent extent, with monumentous black clouds that blotted out any light other than the continuous, instaneous flashes of lightning throughout the air that emanated thunderous orchestra within its magnificentally dramatic light show. Akira simply held his ground, not bothering to argue with his brother. He simply nodded at Shindo's statement, looking back up at Tome and Hiroi with his same serious glare. If they were lucky, Shiroi had recovered and already gone to warn Soul Society. ''"I'm sorry father." ''he thought to himself with regret. ''"At least Emiko will be in better hands." If he was to die here, it would not be a death of cowardice or begging. He would die fighting for what he believed and what he loved. He would die next to his brother. The Arrival of a Silver-Haired Man Within the chaos of the current happenings, the sounds of clapping hands could then be heard, drawing the attention of those around. "Hoo boy. You don't see fights like that anymore," stated a silver-haired man with a small and "well-groomed" mustache who was standing a ways off from where the battle had occured, and its participants and witnesses were still hanging around. The silver-haired man jumped off from the upper region where he sat, watching as the events prior to his outing had occured and appealed to his interest. Whoever he was, he was interested in the strong. Akira's eyes suddenley widened in hearing the voice of the newcomer, quickly turning his attention in the man's direction. At this point in time, Akira's senses were so worn out from having to feel energy of all worlds of different types, he could hardly tell what kind of energy this man possessed. He lowered his stance somewhat, knowing that Tome and Hiroi would more than likely be focused on the newcomer as well. "Can we help you with something?" he asked in his normal voice, not carrying a hostile tone as his facial expression was normal and half lidded. "This isn't really the best place for bystanders to be right about now." Shindō didn't even bother addressing the man, for he somehow got the vague sense he knew this man. Not like actually meeting him but in a sense possessed a similar...aura, as a old mentor of his. Is it possible that this man, came from the same family? He almost doubted himself, considering how lax the newcomer's attitude was when approaching them, but nonetheless kept his guard up in the event he came under his own battle with the stranger. "Huh?" Tome suddenly looked bored at the approaching newcomer, "where did you come from? If you haven't noticed, it isn't really safe for little guys like you....," he then made a shooing motion with his hands, "please leave. I've got no particular interest in you." Hiroi's eyes suddenly narrowed upon the newcomer's arrival. From the way this man moved and acted, it was as if he had been watching for some time and only now decided to reveal himself. How could they not sense him up until this point? Hiroi made sure to keep his hands on his Zanpakuto's sheathe and sword, aiming for the chance to extract this newcomer if that's what it takes. The silver-haired man bore a slightly bored, yet relaxed, smile on his face as he faced the group. "Me? I'm just a stranger walking by. I was going to pick up the new issue of Shōnen Ju-" but his words were cut off immediately as a large-breasted woman with purple hair stood behind him and smacked him at the back of his head. "Idiot! You were supposed to pick up sake, not magazines!" she retorted, with a clearly annoyed but obviously carefree look, just like this silver-haired man was. "My apologies, Saori-san." the silver-haired man stated with a feigned sense of regret, almost as if to appease her. The man then looked at the others, regaining his original personality of calmness and bore. "So, who are you lot?" Akira simply retained his serious and calm expression, keeping his eyes half lidded while his white hair gently flew around within his black hood to the wind's sudden calm breeze. He couldn't tell just how strong these new comers were, but there wasn't any point in burning any more bridges at this point in time. "My name is Akira Takuji." Shindō wasn't as receptive, but then spoke with authority, "I'm Captain Takuji and representative of the Noble Takuji Clan. This isn't any of your concern and I suggest you leave now before you get involved." "Another one?" Hiroi muttered himself dryly, shrugging as he held his weapons ready but aloft at the moment. With the rate this kept up, they might actually bite off more than can chew...or there will be a lot more explosions resulting in body parts flying everywhere. "Yes yes, I can see you know how to mask your presence and all, but I don't real-" Tome began saying, before his eyes suddenly dialated and his "heart" beated a notch higher. His eyes began widening as his mind made scans and his own form of Pesquisa read the sheer vastness and depth of this man's power. What seemed to almost be sweatdrops trickling down his scalp, turned his previously bored expression into one of excitement and thrill, "wait...I know who you are...Seireitou Kawahiru." "Bingo. My name is indeed Seireitou Kawahiru." the silver-haired man spoke, while the woman then stood up next to him. "I'm Saori Sumeragi." she answered. Seireitou hid both of his arms inside his bell-shaped sleeves, looking out at the lot of them. "I see, I see. So, Akira-san, Takuji-san... and the rest of you are probably either suffering from a very specific case of amnesia or just plain rude." Akira's eyes immediatley widened upon hearing the name "Kawahiru" come from the mouths of the others. He had heard stories, often called legends of the Kawahiru clan. He specifically remembered one story that his father used to tell him when he was just a boy, about a powerful warrior who was known primarily as "The White Demon," otherwise known as Seireitou Kawahiru. In response, Akira went to a bowing stance, his sword in the ground and his eyes closed. "Lord Kawahiru..." "So," Shindō then looked at him with a bit respectful light, but chose not to humble himself than he already is, "what brings royalty to watch our struggles against these particularly interesting strangers?" "Please do explain," Tome said with a eager grin, splaying his finger tips against each other and held them just below his lips as he urged him verbally, "I'm dying to know exactly what brings you to the middle of nowhere, with a terrible storm that could be life threatening if you don't seek cover soon." Seireitou scratched his head in response. "Royalty? Man... you guys are slow. I gave that title up a long time ago. I'm no longer Seireitou of the Kawahiru Clan, the Royal Family of Soul Society. I'm just... Seireitou." he answered. He then peered over to Akira, and with a movement that would be undetectable by anyone there, he appeared before Akira, holding the latter's hand in his own. "Geez... kids like you should pay more attention to when your wrists get dislocated. You'll end up with arthritis by age 30." he stated, making a jerking motion as if he was snapping the man's wrist off; the real intention, however, was to snap the wrist back into position, something only capable by a master bone-setter. Akira was taken aback by Seireitou's motion, initially his wrist seemingly snapping and sending a short comical sense of pain through his arm. However, it only lasted for a few seconds before the entire body part went into a very relaxed state. "Um.....sorry about that...I haven't been keeping up with the royal families affairs recently...." Shindō sighed, "I don't really care if you give up a title, you're still blood related to that Clan, THE only Clan to reach Royal status. But that's besides the point..." Tome twitched, not liking the fact that he wasn't being forthcoming with his intentions, he asked him again, "You still didn't answer my question, '''plain Seireitou. Why are you here?" "Eh?" Seireitou muttered, rubbing the back of his head while wearing his signature bored facial appearance; complete with dead-fish eyes. "You guys woke me up from my nap. It's sort of like being stung by a bee without realizing it was a bee at first. You look around to see what caused that annoyance. Ergo, here I am." he answered. Akira simply let the two of them talk, inwardly wishing he had never bothered coming out to investigate these storms in the first place. Shindō growled at the retort given by Seireitou, moving towards him letting out a snarl, "Well why don't you go back to take your damned nap?!-" WHIST! "GRK!" Within an instant, Tome moved beside Shindō within a blink of an eye, slamming his palm into his gut and sending him hurtling across the landscape, sending a number of uprisings of grass and earth before causing a pillar of ground to spurt up a dozen meters high away from the others. "Shaddup!" Tome said with a bored look on his face before he turned around, dusting off his hands undeterred by the fact he sent one of the sibbling Reapers without a moment's thought, he smiled at Seireitou, "if that was the best excuse you got, Sei-''teme'', you must be a lot more stupid than you look. What you really 'want '''is to stretch those old bones of yours and flex your muscles against a real threat. Isn't that right, Sei-''teme?" Seireitou's lazy eyes peered over to Tome, and retained his "uncaring" facial expression. He hid his arms within his bell-shaped sleeves and stared at him, obviously annoyed. "I get it, you know japanese honorifics. Besides, why are you condescending? Did your mother not give you enough attention growing up?" he remarked. Akira immediatley Flash-Stepped to Shindo's position, crouching down and feeling his condition with his hands. "And here you call me out for being reckless. Your temper still needs adjustment if you ask me." he said in a jocular town, knowing his brother would come out alright. Shindō winced slightly before revealing a cracked barrier he placed over his chest, that had been breached slightly, feeling it with caution in case the entity really did punch through, "I'm measuring his strength...while that newbie idiot is buying us time...I think...I can beat him. All I need is an opening," he opened his eyes, instead of showing Onyx orbs, they were now the crimson and black comma signs of Tamenkyōome, "and I can land a blow to him he'll find more than tickling!" "Oooh! That hurt!" Tome mockingly held his hands over where his heart was, splaying his fingers across his muscular chest before clapping with a smile on his face, "that's right! You don't know who ''I am do you? Well, just for further reference in the event of further miscommunication...I never had what you would call ''parents. In fact, I don't even think my creator could even be given the respect to be called a father. My former reference was known as #13 of a race that was dubbed by our creator as the Bijounaga. He had a few brief clashes with the Gotei 13, from what I can recall, before whatever was left of his creations were either destroyed, purged, or fled from his petty control. My name is Tome Kūgun," he briefly gestured to Hiroi, with a lazy hand, "and that fiery upstart partner of mine, is named Hiroi Kyozai, formerly also a Bijounaga. The only real reason we're here," Tome said with a release of his arms, as lightning danced and crackled high above them, striking penetrating dramatic shadows and illuminations over them all, "is to weed out the strong from the weak, and to have a hell of a fun time!"